Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 5.djvu/549

 PUBLIC LAW 106-554^APPENDIX F 114 STAT. 2763A-509 (2) REPORT.— Not later than July 1, 2001, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under paragraph (1) together with recommendations regarding— (A) improvements in the process for acceptance and use of practice expense data under section 212 of BBRA; (B) any change or adjustment that is appropriate to ensure full access to a spectrum of care for beneficiaries under the medicare program; and (C) the appropriateness of payments to physicians. SEC. 412. PHYSICIAN GROUP PRACTICE DEMONSTRATION. (a) IN GENERAL. —Title XVIII is amended by inserting after section 1866 the following new sections: "D EMONSTRATION OF APPLICATION OF PHYSICIAN VOLUME INCREASES TO GROUP PRACTICES "SEC. 1866A. (a) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.— "(1) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary shall conduct demonstration projects to test and, if proven effective, expand the use of incentives to health care groups participating in the program under this title that— "(A) encourage coordination of the care furnished to individuals under the programs under parts A and B by institutional and other providers, practitioners, and suppliers of health care items and services; "(B) encourage investment in administrative structures and processes to ensure efficient service delivery; and "(C) reward physicians for improving health outcomes. Such projects shall focus on the efficiencies of furnishing health care in a group-practice setting as compared to the efficiencies of furnishing health care in other health care delivery systems. "(2) ADMINISTRATION BY CONTRACT.—Except as otherwise specifically provided, the Secretary may administer the program under this section in accordance with section 1866B. "(3) DEFINITIONS.— For purposes of this section, terms have the following meanings: "(A) PHYSICIAN.— Except as the Secretary may otherwise provide, the term 'physician' means any individual who famishes services which may be paid for as physicians' services under this title. "(B) HEALTH CARE GROUP.— The term 'health care group' means a group of physicians (as defined in subparagraph (A)) organized at least in part for the purpose of providing physicians' services under this title. As the Secretary finds appropriate, a health care group may include a hospital and any other individual or entity furnishing items or services for which payment may be made under this title that is affiliated with the health care group under an arrangement structured so that such individual or entity participates in a demonstration under this section and will share in any bonus earned under subsection (d). "(b) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—

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